'Traveller housing not wanted here,' say locals

FinnLizzy · 07-04-2012 11:07PM #1

Residents in Sligo village oppose construction of allotments that they believe are going to be used as Traveller homes

A MAJOR BATTLE is shaping up in Collooney over fears that Sligo County Council is considering moves to provide Traveller housing on land opposite the Owenmore Gaels GAA pitch, that local people had hoped to use as allotments.

At Monday's meeting of the Council, local councillor Thomas Collery said "there is no way we will allow Travellers accommodation on this field."

He added: "There will be a big fight if you go in with machines for housing. If we need the Bull Mccabe there, we will get him."

The issue arose when Cllr. Sean Macmanus said more than 50 people had made applications for allotments. He said they were led to believe by council staff that there would no problem in getting a lease on the lands. They got a one-year lease, and in the belief they would get an extended lease, they had an official opening by Minister John Perry, attended by Cllr. Gerard Mullaney, who had voted against it earlier.

Yes, another Traveller thread. But I wouldn't want a haulting site built right next to my estate, so I can sympathise.

Also, the village in question is already raped with Celtic Tiger-esque ghost estates and empty retail buildings. As well as this disaster just down the road, so from a perspective that has nothing to do with travellers, I'm sure locals would be upset that more fields are being raped.

So, do you think that the locals are handling this issue well? Or have they played the 'P*ss off travellers' card too quickly?

galwayrush · 07-04-2012 11:08PM

It's not in my backyard . :cool:

strobe · 07-04-2012 11:10PM

Which Sligo!?!? :mad:

hondasam · 07-04-2012 11:11PM

Where are the council getting the money to build houses?

FinnLizzy · 07-04-2012 11:11PM

galwayrush wrote: »

It's not in my backyard . :cool:

Yeah, they have to go somewhere. Once the hastily constructed walls and Virgin Mary statues start popping up, you should be worried.

Johro · 07-04-2012 11:13PM

Pff... Fields around here are full of rape.

stovelid · 07-04-2012 11:16PM

Isn't everybody in Sligo a traveler?

token101 · 07-04-2012 11:19PM

Imagine the travellers faces when they are told they have to stop travelling and move to...Sligo! Then they'll have a valid case of their Yooman rights being abused for once :pac:

washman3 · 07-04-2012 11:22PM

Great post.
Can you tell us who the politican was that secured planning permission for that complete debacle in Ballisodare? he should be locked up and keys thrown away. what a fcuking disgrace.!! :mad:
did the locals kick up any stink when that "thing" was being built??
the same locals that are opposing travellers relocating now??
And is the developer being paid €100-€200k a year to "manage" it.:mad:

charlemont · 07-04-2012 11:23PM

Travelling folk, The greatest people in the world.

stupidusername · 07-04-2012 11:24PM

oh goodie, haven't had a traveller thread in a aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaages

FinnLizzy · 07-04-2012 11:25PM

stovelid wrote: »

Isn't everybody in Sligo a traveler?

You'd swear that only Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Cavan are allowed to have established stereotypes. Every other county seems to be open season.

"Yerman there is from Roscommon, I hear they don't shower!"

FinnLizzy · 07-04-2012 11:27PM

stupidusername wrote: »

oh goodie, haven't had a traveller thread in a aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaages

Yeah, the bleeding hearts of AH just want to pander to all their needs!

iguana · 07-04-2012 11:28PM

If they are built I wonder will they be burned down?

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/traveller-house-gutted-in-suspected-arson-1805697.html

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0402/suspected-arson-attack-on-kilkenny-house.html

http://pavee.ie/mediamonitor/?p=3987

baldbear · 07-04-2012 11:29PM

Racists.

My name is URL · 07-04-2012 11:30PM

Careful now

The UN may be reading this thread - http://www.thejournal.ie/calls-for-government-to-recognise-travellers-as-ethnic-group-385572-Mar2012/

staker · 07-04-2012 11:32PM

Just so long as there's a drive for the main residence caravan.

LilyCricket · 07-04-2012 11:33PM

I'll be honest myself, I would not like a traveller site built beside me where I live.

Not in a million years.

token101 · 07-04-2012 11:38PM

I think anyone is that says they would welcome such a development in the ir locality without caution or fear is disingenuous at best.

FinnLizzy · 08-04-2012 12:15AM

token101 wrote: »

I think anyone is that says they would welcome such a development in the ir locality without caution or fear is disingenuous at best.

There's already a haulting site up the road from the field in question. They could just, lets say, move into houses! There's no shortage of them in Collooney.

Chuck Stone · 08-04-2012 12:24AM

LilyCricket wrote: »

I'll be honest myself, I would not like a traveller site built beside me where I live.

That's why the councils are trying to house Travellers in one off housing in the country but people are extremely hostile to this too.

votecounts · 08-04-2012 12:33AM

A lot of this is due to locals being greedy "oh no, this will knock more money off my house mentality". While forgetting that members of the settled community can be the biggest tools, criminals, bullys, etc
Reaps of racism.

Tigger · 08-04-2012 12:45AM

votecounts wrote: »

A lot of this is due to locals being greedy "oh no, this will knock more money off my house mentality". While forgetting that members of the settled community can be the biggest tools, criminals, bullys, etc
Reaps of racism.

read what you just wrote : not wanting your house devalued because having travellers next door will do that is no more racisim than not wanting a sewage works or any thing that will devalue the single biggest purchase a person ever makes

Dudess · 08-04-2012 12:45AM

votecounts wrote: »

A lot of this is due to locals being greedy "oh no, this will knock more money off my house mentality". While forgetting that members of the settled community can be the biggest tools, criminals, bullys, etc
Reaps of racism.

I'd say it's more to do with worrying about anti social behaviour, which not all will be carrying out, to be fair, but it's a likelihood from some.

FinnLizzy · 08-04-2012 12:52AM

votecounts wrote: »

A lot of this is due to locals being greedy "oh no, this will knock more money off my house mentality". While forgetting that members of the settled community can be the biggest tools, criminals, bullys, etc
Reaps of racism.

Would you like to donate the area around your house to them?

votecounts · 08-04-2012 12:55AM

Dudess wrote: »

I'd say it's more to do with worrying about anti social behaviour, which not all will be carrying out, to be fair, but it's a likelihood from some.

Same could be said about members of the settled community.

cocoshovel · 08-04-2012 12:55AM

Racism me bollox! christ, the urges these traveller threads bring upon me. I better keep quiet going by previous comments, the ****in cúnts.

Dudess · 08-04-2012 12:58AM

votecounts wrote: »

Dudess wrote: »

I'd say it's more to do with worrying about anti social behaviour, which not all will be carrying out, to be fair, but it's a likelihood from some.

Same could be said about members of the settled community.

Violence is a bigger problem within traveller culture. Social workers at the coalface will tell you that.

FinnLizzy · 08-04-2012 01:00AM

votecounts wrote: »

Same could be said about members of the settled community.

The settled community accounts for more than 97% of Western Europe. And that's a generous statistic! We're talking about a minority with a culture based on seclusion, gender roles, and fighting.

Mr Benevolent · 08-04-2012 01:04AM

FinnLizzy wrote: »

"Yerman there is from Roscommon, I hear they don't shower!"

But they don't.

WolfgangWeisen · 08-04-2012 01:08AM

Having lived near both a Traveller settlement/housing and a halting site before, I can honestly say that if it were proposed to put one near my current residence I would up sticks and move. If moving were not an option, I would certainly mount an opposition to the proposal or join one that already existed.

The census has highlighted some very serious figures and issues with the Travelling community here, most/all of which are brought on and maintained by themselves. Proposals such as the one discussed are being made in the hope that if the government simply dump travellers in with settled people, they'll conform and behave acceptably in society. This isn't anything new and isn't working.

A quote from an article posted in the Irish Times today

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0407/1224314499129.html wrote:

Extended family is very important to us. I’d hate to be put in a house or apartment away from family. I think it can damage you and make you depressed if you are living in an environment with strangers, and maybe facing discrimination.

This is from a Traveller and what appears to be quite a reasonable and well spoken one at that. If Travellers do not want to be housed with settled people, and settled people do not want to be housed with Travellers, then they shouldn't be forced to by some over-reactionary county counsellors who don't have to deal with the consequences of their actions in any way.

'Traveller housing not wanted here,' say locals

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